Psychometric Properties of the 'Quality of Instruction' Scale in Starting Cohort 3

This paper presents information on the source, theoretical background, and psychometric properties of the “Quality of instruction” scale used in Waves 3 and 5 of Starting Cohort 3. The scale measures student perceptions of teaching quality in their school. We ran an item-level analysis and checked the scale’s reliability, discriminant validity, construct validity, and measurement invariance over the waves. The items had moderate to high discriminatory power. The analyses confirmed the scale’s discriminant validity and its expected three-factor structure, but also revealed moderate to strong correlations between the factors. The internal consistencies of the subscales ranged from marginally acceptable for Classroom Management and Cognitive Activation to satisfactory for Student Support. The scale was metrically invariant across the two waves of the study. Overall, the test showed acceptable to good psychometric properties, depending on the aspect.
NEPS Survey Papers